Happy Friday, Dippers,
Here's what's making headlines today: Hasan Piker's two campus speeches ignite a free speech firestorm, a Trump-boosting ad draws scrutiny, and more.
Today’s estimated reading time is 3 minutes and 12 seconds.
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On this day in 1981, who became the first woman sworn onto the Supreme Court?(answer revealed below!)
(hint: Reagan appointment)
In today’s issue:
Piker’s speeches sparksafety concerns. 🏛️Government airspro-Trump taxpayer ad. 📜Zuckerberg downplaysMeta glasses backlash. 💻
Plus, take ** today’s poll** and check out the
Hasan Piker faces backlash over planned speeches at Cornell and UT Austin. It follows the University of Washington’s cancellation of a January Piker lecture, which the school blamed on planning issues, not content.
Jewish student groups and Texas officials, including Governor Greg Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz, cite Piker’s past remarks on 9/11, Hamas, and Israel. A pro-Palestinian Jewish group that helped organize the Cornell event disputes that he is antisemitic.
**The flashpoint:**At UT Austin, signups topped 2,500 for a 460-seat venue, prompting police to recommend relocating. Organizers report death threats invoking Charlie Kirk’s assassination and accuse the school of stalling on a bigger space. Advocates warn safety claims can be misused to block speakers.
A 30-second political ad touting President Trump’s tax cuts and warning against communism has aired on Fox News and Newsmax in markets including Los Angeles and Chicago. Its on-screen credit names the U.S. government, not a campaign or political committee, as the funder.
Federal rules restrict unauthorized government-funded “publicity or propaganda”, though routine public health and military recruitment ads are allowed. Lawmakers say this spot crosses that line by promoting a specific politician, with some calling it a Hatch Act and ethics violation.
**The unknowns:**Media tracking shows about $14,000 spent on airtime so far. It remains unclear which agency paid for the ad, and officials have not explained how the funds were used.
:📈
Today’s Poll:Ad AlarmA federally funded ad promoting President Trump’s tax cuts and anti-communism message has been airing on cable news, credited on screen to the U.S. government rather than a campaign. Critics call it an improper, possibly illegal use of taxpayer funds for political messaging, while others argue the ad never explicitly tells viewers how to vote.
What’s your take on using federal funding for this kind of ad?
Meta’s Smart Glasses, nicknamed “pervert glasses” by critics, face fresh backlash for cameras that let wearers record people without holding up a visible phone. A blinking light signals recording, but criticism grew this summer after viral videos showed people filmed unknowingly.
Reports found some users covering or removing that light, a few even offering paid removal online. Meta says it can often detect covered lights and blocks recording, and disables accounts caught doing so.
**The response:**CEO Mark Zuckerberg told NBC News the backlash is manageable and has not hurt overall perception. He said less than 0.1% of frames sold were physically tampered with, and Meta’s new camera-free audio glasses, unveiled this week, were in development long before the backlash.
Let’s wrap up the week with another roundup of feel-good news:
Move over, obedience school: a wildlife center in Mississippi is running a literal
raccoon boot campto teach orphaned cubs how to survive in the wild before releasing them back home! We can’t decide what’s cuter, the mission or the mugshots. 🦝❤️Phoenix’s
Surprise Squadshowed up at a south Phoenix grocery store and picked up the tab for a whole line of shoppers, because sometimes the best plot twist at checkout is a stranger paying it forward! 🛒✨At 48 years old and a father of three, one man just
suited up for his college football debut, because apparently it’s never too late to chase a dream between diaper changes and homework help! Somewhere, his kids are the proudest fans in the stands. 🏈👏
🐌 Animals: Some snails can sleep for years when conditions are too dry. Honestly, relatable.
🏙️ Cities: Venice is built on more than 100 small islands connected by hundreds of bridges. City planning took a very literal detour.
🔬 Science: Glass is made primarily from sand. Beach day just got industrial.
🤯 WTF: Russia spans 11 time zones. Somewhere in the country, it’s always almost tomorrow.
TODAY’S QUIZ ANSWER:
Sandra Day O’Connor
President Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O’Connor to the Supreme Court, and the Senate confirmed her unanimously. On September 25, 1981, she was sworn in, becoming the first woman to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. She served on the Court for nearly 25 years before retiring in 2006.
Did you take ** today’s poll**?
Looking for more specific details on each story? ** Click here** for the full show notes for yesterday’s PDS episode.
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